I am trying to write a small book about how to study. I got the idea of writing it by compiling questions and answers from a forum. What better forum to use than thestudentroom? Therefore, please ask me any question about how to study, and I will answer it based on the method I have invented. I believe my method is unique in that no one else currently uses it or has used it before, and that it is the easiest and most natural method for learning and studying from any source, be it a book, lecture, audio tapes, etc.

(Original post by LoneSurvivor)
How do you maintain concentration when studying

This isn't really included in my method as it is psychological. However as I do know something about psychological treatment, I can say that the best method is to build these things up incrementally, whether it be going on a diet (everyone knows that crash dieting can only lead to binge eating), forming a new habit, or concentrating better in lectures and other study situations. The trick is to start with something that you can maintain forever. If that is only 1 minute at the moment, there is no problem, as long as you are 100% sure that if you were to do this regularly for the rest of your life, you could do it without any problems. Then you simply increase this gradually in baby steps, until you reach your goal.

Example. Your goal is to concentrate on studying from a book for 1 hour every day after dinner. At the moment, you find that you can only easily maintain 10 minutes of studying before it gets unbearable. Thus, you start with 10 minutes. This is a figure which you are comfortable maintaining for the rest of your life, so you start here. The next day, you do 11 minutes. The day after, you do 12, etc. Or if you want it to be quicker, you could add 5 minutes each day, etc. If we use the example of 5 minutes added per day, you will reach 60 minutes (ie 1 hour, which is your goal) in just 10 days.

This is the only method that works for psychological treatment and anyone who denies this has obviously not had experience with habit forming. Everyone who has tried jumping into something without increasing gradually has ended up in failure, stopping only after a few days or weeks of doing it. In fact, this is one of the tricks of your ego, it wants to pretend it can do things which are beyond its ability, our of a certain over abundance of pride or boldness. Due to this inaccurate judgement of its own abilities, the ego piles up works until it can't continue, then it stops and refuses to start again for a long time. Don't listen to it.

At the moment my chemistry grades has been dwindling a lot; earlier this year I had a 40% and in the most recent test last week, I scored a 55%. Do you have any tips on how I can improve? It does not need to be chemistry-specific, because not everyone takes chemistry. Regardless, I'll still appreciate it

(Original post by wifd149)
At the moment my chemistry grades has been dwindling a lot; earlier this year I had a 40% and in the most recent test last week, I scored a 55%. Do you have any tips on how I can improve? It does not need to be chemistry-specific, because not everyone takes chemistry. Regardless, I'll still appreciate it

Sorry but that question is too general. If you could specify what exactly you have trouble with when studying I can definitely help you.